Angels In America uses humor to add levity to a deeply emotional crisis in the US. This strategic usage of comedic relief reveals a similar structure to the Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet. When comparing the two pieces they both give the audience a break from the heavy and dark content while conveying a deeper message that would otherwise be difficult for audiences to absorb raw. Converting the message into an entertaining piece allows for the message to be more accessible to a wider audience. Angels in America has strategic comedic relief much like when the gravediggers in hamlet make light of Ophelias’s suicide, a serious and uncomfortable subject while also glorifying their professions as gravediggers. (Hamlet, Act 5. Scene1) Hamlet detracts from the serious nature of the subject of death just as Angels in America detracts from the uncomfortable and painful subject of the AIDS crisis in America.
Furthermore Hamlet himself is much like our Prior Walter using witty and sarcastic comebacks in their unfortunate circumstances. Prior Walter who is suffering but undoubtedly funny is one of the plays biggest comedic reliefs even though he is in one of the worst conditions, symptomatic with aids and understanding of his ultimate early demise. Prior when arguing with Louis responds to Louis’s serious discussion of law with thick sarcasm “I like this; very zen its … reassuringly incomprehensible and useless. We who are about to die thank you.” (Act 1. Scene 8) The play’s dark humor shows some of the characters resilience and strength in their ability to find humor amidst the overwhelming tragedy surrounding their lives during the AIDS epidemic.
Prior also carries a message for this story as he has received a “prophecy from the 8 vaginad angel”(Act 2. Scene 2) much like when a spirit came to Hamlet. (Act 1. Scene 5) This interaction is a point of revelation for both characters and will influence their actions through the second half of the play and impact the overall message that they hold for the entire story. While priors story is not the only main focus in Angles in America the dark humor and relief he brings will have a more widespread impact on an audience as his comedic relief breaks the heavy story into bite sized pieces that is more appealing to a diverse audience that might otherwise be uncomfortable or unwilling to hear the story.
When I read the articles “Postcards on Camp” for our discussions of camp in our class, it brought up the idea of facetiousness and dark humor as a defining aspect of queer media. This is apparent in Kushner’s play with the dark humor, but also in the fast-paced speech. Does this make Hamlet camp? After learning about the various definitions of camp in our class discussion and readings, I do think that many Shakespearean could be characterized as camp; a Midsummer Night’s Dream particularly comes to mind with its overdramatic and over-stylized themes of love, comedic elements, and magical transformations.
I remember liking Hamlet a lot when I read it in high school, so to see a lot of similar themes between the two plays and between the two main characters makes me wonder if it was intentional. The grave digger scene was definitely one of my favorites from Hamlet because of the light it cast in such a dark story, and the darkness radiating from the AIDS crisis certainly fits the same criteria for comedic relief the same way Ophelia’s suicide does.